An average of 20 teachers made the tragic decision to take their own lives each year from 2021 to 2023, data showed Monday, sparking concern over the mental health and well-being of teachers in South Korea. The problem persists this year too, with 19 teachers having taken their own lives this year through August. This disturbing trend points to a deeper crisis within the education system, where teachers feel increasingly vulnerable and unsupported, according to Rep. Jin Sun-mee of the Democratic

Social Affairs Oct. 14, 2024

Multibillionaires are eccentric. It's common knowledge, like water is wet, fire is hot, "Joker: Folie a Deux" is a terrible film. From Jeff Bezos to Peter Thiel to Richard Branson to Howard Hughes (adjusting for inflation), they do weird things: shoot themselves into space, invest in treatments to "cure" aging, buy islands and wash their hands a lot. It's rare that the other 99.9 percent of us are directly exposed to their world-ownership whims, though we indirect

Viewpoints Oct. 14, 2024

The enchanting collection is available at a pre-launch pop-up until October 31 on the 4th and 12th floors in Langham Place, Hong Kong. HONG KONG, Oct. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Attention all witches, wizards and Muggles! Global lifestyle brand MINISO's brand-new Harry Potter-inspired collection is now officially on sale at a pre-launch pop-up in Langham Place, Mongkok, Hong Kong. The hotly anticipated exclusive collection, with first release of over 500 different co-branded products, is se

PR Newswire Oct. 13, 2024

Two Filipinas from Seoul city's foreign caregivers pilot program who disappeared from their accommodations in Gangnam-gu on Sept. 15 after starting work in Seoul were later found in Busan after being reemployed as cleaners, according to the Philippine government’s Department of Migrant Workers. In an interview on Oct. 9 with the Philippines' 24 Oras, Bernard Olalia, undersecretary for licensing and adjudication of the DMW, said that the two caregivers claimed to have had difficul

Social Affairs Oct. 13, 2024

The Ministry of Health and Welfare recently gave awards to two Korean mothers who gave birth to 13 children, including the mother of actress Nam Bo-ra, who is well-known for being the oldest of her 13 siblings. Eom Gye-suk, 60, was given the Seongnyu Medal, the fifth grade of the Order of Civil Merit given to those to recognize contributions to the country and welfare of the people with their outstanding accomplishments in the field of politics, economics, society, education or academics. She ga

Social Affairs Oct. 13, 2024

Two actors with quite different track records are taking the role of a billionaire in the latest musical production of “Annie.” Nam Kyung-ju, known for his extensive career on the musical stage spanning over 40 years, and Song Il-kook, a TV star who discovered the musicals' charm in his 40s, share the role of Oliver Warbucks, who is known for his wealth, power, and evolving relationship with the titular character, Annie. In an interview with reporters on Monday, the two talked

Culture Oct. 12, 2024

Son Woong-jung, a football coach and father of Premier League star Son Heung-min, was ordered by a local court Friday to pay a fine over charges of abusing young players at his football training center. The Chuncheon District Court in Chuncheon, some 75 kilometers northeast of Seoul, ordered Son Woong-jung, his son Son Heung-yun and another coach at Son Football Academy to each pay 3 million won (US$2,220) in fine. All three were also asked to complete 40 hours of child abuse treatment programs.

Soccer Oct. 11, 2024

Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, alongside executives from the group's Korean and Japanese subsidiaries, visited Ghana to support the sustainable sourcing of cacao, a key ingredient in their signature chocolate product. As part of the Sustainable Cocoa Bean Project, a joint initiative by Lotte's Korean and Japanese branches, the visit included Lee Young-gu, head of Lotte's food division; Lee Chang-yeop, CEO of Lotte Wellfood; and Genichi Tamatsuka, CEO of Lotte Holdings. Lotte

Companies Oct. 10, 2024

A blaze that occurred late Wednesday in a multiunit residential building in Paju, Gyeonggi Province left a woman in her 30s dead, while her six-year-old son was rescued by their neighbor. According to the Paju Police Station, the fire is believed to have started at around 11:30 p.m. at a unit on the first floor of the building. A neighbor saw smoke and helped bring the boy who was inside to safety, but was unable to rescue his mother. The child is currently being looked after by another family i

Social Affairs Oct. 10, 2024

Three French architects -- Anne Lacaton, Jean Philippe Vassal and Jean-Michel Wilmotte -- shared their core philosophies that have guided their decades-long careers during an architecture roundtable and Q&A following their presentations at the Herald Design Forum 2024, held in Seoul, on Tuesday. “The most important thing will be for whom we are doing this work,” said Lacaton, the Pritzker Prize-winning architect who received the award with Vassal in 2021. “Architecture is a

Arts & Design Oct. 9, 2024

Veterinarian Choi Young-min is a beloved figure in the animal care community. A regular on popular TV program “Animal Farm,” Choi treats a wide variety of creatures, from lizards to sparrows, turtles and hedgehogs. The sight of tiny limbs taped down for an X-ray, or being gently cradled in one hand for a checkup, often evokes both squeals for their cuteness and a twinge of pity in viewers. "It's adorable to watch, but for a veterinarian, it means the work is more challengin

Hashtag Korea Oct. 9, 2024

The script of Latin American politics too often reads like a “dictator novel,” and on Sept. 11, another chapter drew to a close with the death of Alberto Fujimori. As the president who most defined -- and divided -- modern Peru, Fujimori’s legacy remains a topic of heated debate. One version of Fujimori’s epitaph would commend his economics and condemn his politics, but the deeper lesson his life story offers may be that it is impossible to separate the two. Fujimori&rsqu

Viewpoints Oct. 8, 2024

SHANGHAI, Oct. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Concordia Shanghai's Early Childhood (EC) Division has earned a top spot in the KingLead China International Kindergarten Ranking, placing No. 1 in Shanghai and No. 4 in China. This recognition reflects Concordia's continued commitment to excellence and holistic education, alongside other leading schools across the country. Concordia International School Shanghai Early Childhood Division Since its founding in 1998, Concordia has strived to be a p

PR Newswire Oct. 7, 2024

Over the past five years, 20 minors have earned more than 100 million won ($74,119) a year as CEOs in South Korea, including a child under the age of five, government data showed Monday, highlighting concerns over possible inheritance tax loopholes. According to data from the National Health Insurance Service submitted to Rep. Jin Sun-mee of the main opposition Democratic Party Korea, there are 360 business owners that are under the age of 19 as of August 2024. The data covers only those registe

Social Affairs Oct. 7, 2024

Seoul revises pilot program for Filipina domestic workers after initial trial The Seoul city government said Sunday it has revised its pilot program for providing Filipina domestic workers to households, following about a month of the program's implementation. The revisions, made during meetings between the labor ministry and other relevant parties, will take effect this month to address issues that arose during the initial phase of the program, such as some workers leaving their workplaces

Social Affairs Oct. 6, 2024

Tyler Rasch and Nidhi Agrawal, who have called South Korea home for years, are no strangers to wearing many hats. Rasch is a well-known TV personality renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge of Asian history and culture. He's also an author, translator, social media influencer and climate activist. Agrawal, who moved to Korea in 2016 keen on bridging the Indian and Korean markets, has a background across the IT industry and has juggled numerous TV and lecture appointments. The two public pe

Hashtag Korea Oct. 3, 2024

As Seoul's six-month foreign caregiver pilot program marks its first month on Thursday, significant unresolved issues -- particularly over pay. The initiative, led by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Employment and Labor, aims to offer affordable child care and light and incidental help with housework. The six-month pilot, limited to Seoul households, primarily dual-income with multiple children, and employing only Filipino national women aged 24-38, began on Sept. 3 wi

Social Affairs Oct. 3, 2024

Lotte Corp., the South Korean holding company of Lotte Group, is strengthening its corporate social responsibility campaigns, placing particular focus on children, women and military personnel. Since 2017, the company has been supporting local community centers dedicated to after-school care for children, creating garret-style shelters equipped with cultural and interactive materials, it said. To date, Lotte Corp. has supported 87 centers nationwide, with plans to expand to areas including Daegu

Companies Oct. 3, 2024

As the summer heat gives way to the crisp autumn air, it's time to start thinking about protecting yourself and your loved ones from the flu. If you’re a foreign national resident in South Korea, you may be eligible for free seasonal flu shots, one of many immunizations offered under the government's National Immunization Program, as long as you meet the same priority group criteria applied to Korean nationals. Korea’s vaccine program covers for free 18 essential vaccines f

Hashtag Korea Oct. 1, 2024

Out of over 3,000 juvenile offenders who were found guilty of sex offenses and placed under juvenile law protection, only 143 were sent to juvenile detention centers, a report showed Friday. According to the Supreme Court's judicial yearbook, a total of 3,701 juveniles were tried for sex crimes out of the 50,094 juvenile protection cases filed last year. Among them, 2,963 were placed under probation after judges found them guilty. When one under age 19 commits a crime, law enforcement agenc

Social Affairs Sept. 27, 2024